Indonesia's most wanted extremist, Malaysian-born extremist Noordin Mohammed Top was named Saturday as the likely culprit behind suicide bombings at luxury hotels in Indonesia that left eight dead and 55 injured. Police were studying explosives found in the suspects' “control center” in room 1808 of the Marriott hotel, which was bombed along with its nearby sister hotel the Ritz-Carlton on Friday during the busy breakfast period. DNA evidence, including a severed head from the remains of two suicide bombers, was also being examined as security was tightened across Indonesia and the Philippines amid warnings of follow-up attacks. Five foreigners – three Australians, a New Zealander and a Singaporean – were identified among the dead as Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda put the total toll at eight, including the bombers. Of the 55 injured, police said that 18 were foreigners including citizens of Australia, Britain, Canada, China, India, Italy, Norway, South Korea, the Netherlands and the United States. National police chief General Bambang Hendarso Danuri called on hotels and shopping malls across the vast, mainly Muslim archipelago of 234 million people to raise their security protocols in response to the bombings. No group has claimed responsibility for the bombings, but the security ministry's anti-terror desk chief, Ansyaad Mbai, said there was evidence pointing to Noordin Mohammed Top. “There are strong indications that Noordin Top's group is behind the attacks because the bombs were hand-made and the tactic was suicide bombings,” he said. It is the fourth attack in Indonesia allegedly masterminded by Noordin after bombings at the Jakarta Marriott in 2003, the Australian embassy in 2004 and Bali restaurants in 2005 which have killed more than 40 people.
